Surrender is not rejection of the intelligence, but its perfection
Some people perceive surrender to God as anti-intellectual, as an abandonment of the intelligence for an abject capitulation to God. However, that’s not the kind [...]
Act proactively, not reactively
Acting proactively means acting according to our principles and purposes in actions we initiate as well as the ways we respond to events. Acting reactively [...]
While knowledge curbs the senses, devotion conquers the senses
Knowledge, specifically spiritual knowledge, helps us understand our spiritual identity and thereby recognize the necessity of controlling the senses that drag us towards material enjoyment [...]
Comprehension comes by the integration of visual perception with intellectual education
We usually consider our eyes as reliable sources of knowledge. In court cases, eyewitness testimonies are deemed strong evidence. Yet valuable as visual perception is, [...]
The world’s being a miserable place doesn’t mean we have to be miserable
An oft-quoted Bhagavad-gita verse deems this world a place of misery (08.15: duhkhalyam). Yet the same Gita was spoken to relieve Arjuna of misery. Initially [...]
Even if we can’t get over things, we can still get on with things
Sometimes life throws at us devastating reversals that cause overwhelming grief, fury or frustration. Some losses may even make us feel that life itself is [...]
Temptations will come, we don’t have to welcome
Seekers sometimes ask, “I am practicing bhakti-yoga seriously, yet I feel tempted by worldly desires. Why is bhakti not working?” Bhakti is definitely working. The [...]
The spiritual in application leads to the spiritual in constitution
The multiple senses of the word ‘spiritual’ can be confusing. For example, the material body is said to be radically different from the spiritual soul, [...]
Defiance of God dooms us to dependence on matter
Some people openly defy God and claim, “I am independent – I will do whatever I want and enjoy whichever way I choose to.” While [...]
The modes make Krishna seem irrelevant and the world seem irresistible
Perception, or more specifically false perception, is the basis of illusion. The Bhagavad-gita (07.13) explains that we can’t know Krishna due to the delusion created [...]
Deepen detachment by discernment
Often when we are unable to resist our lower desires, we may blame ourselves for not being adequately detached. While this may be true, we [...]
The mind makes the exhausting seem exciting and the exciting seem exhausting
The mind is often declared in scripture to be an enemy, as for example in the Bhagavad-gita (06.06). One way the mind acts inimically is [...]
We need a starter of desire more than a stopper of desire
Spiritual seekers often worry about how to restrain their desires so as to adhere to the principles of sadhana. Yet quite often this worry is [...]
Don’t just ask for decisions; ask for the education for making decisions
The Bhagavad-gita begins with Arjuna facing a specific problem: to fight or not to fight. This problem, though ethically entangling, asks for a straightforward decision: [...]
Growth for growth’s sake is cancerous
The idea of growth usually evokes positive images, yet when growth is disproportionate, it can be destructive. This is perhaps best illustrated in the growth [...]
Spiritual happiness never goes away – it just pushes us on the way
Seekers sometimes ask, “It is said that material happiness is temporary, whereas spiritual happiness is eternal. But even spiritual happiness seems temporary – sometimes we [...]
The concentration-point is not the point of concentration
The concentration-point refers to the thing on which we focus, whereas the point of concentration refers to the focus’s ultimate purpose. The Bhagavad-gita, in its [...]
Regulation is the road to realization
Some people ask, “Isn’t regulation deprivation? If we enjoy something, why should we check ourselves in doing it?” The purpose of regulation is not deprivation, [...]
Forgetfulness of life’s emptiness is not happiness
Many people find their lives so boring that they consider as enjoyable anything which helps them forget that emptiness. The entertainment industry serves this purpose; [...]
Expand your conception of not just life, but also the self
Most religions expand the conception of life by explaining that death is not a termination, but a transition to life at another level of reality. [...]
Don’t give guidance alone – give confidence too
When we practice spiritual life for some time, younger practitioners may come to us for guidance in tackling problems such as the uncontrolled mind. The [...]